Audio visual player apparatus and system and method of content distribution using the same

Abstract

A system is presented providing content to a plurality of handheld devices (including musical selections). The devices can access a server over the Internet via a WIFI or other similar wireless interconnection and can download songs requested by a user from the server or from other users using, e.g., a P2P protocol. All downloads are governed by applicable DRM rules. Content and playlists may also be pushed by a server from other sources and means including, e.g., podcasting, based on predetermined rules, favorite preferences of users, and other criteria.

1. An apparatus for acquiring digital content, the apparatus comprising:
 a storage device; 
 a first wireless transceiver operative to communicate with a cellular network; 
 a second wireless transceiver operative to communicate with a wireless gateway; and 
 a processor operative to:
 use the first wireless transceiver to communicate with an external database via the cellular network to search the external database for digital content to download to the apparatus, wherein the external database stores a listing of digital content available for downloading from the external memory; 
 use the second wireless transceiver to communicate with the external memory via the wireless gateway to download digital content identified by the search; and 
 store the downloaded digital content in the storage device and play the downloaded digital content. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the processor is further operative to determine whether to use the first wireless transceiver or the second wireless transceiver to download the digital content identified by the search based on cost. 
     
     
       3. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the processor is further operative to determine whether to use the first wireless transceiver or the second wireless transceiver to download the digital content identified by the search based on at least one of latency, contention, delivery speed, and bandwidth. 
     
     
       4. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the processor is further operative to use the first wireless transceiver and the second wireless transceiver concurrently. 
     
     
       5. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the processor is further operative to automatically determine whether to use the first wireless transceiver or the second wireless transceiver. 
     
     
       6. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the processor is further operative to determine whether to use the first wireless transceiver or the second wireless transceiver based on a user programmable attribute. 
     
     
       7. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the cellular network comprises one of the following: a GSM network, a CDMA network, a TDMA network, an EDGE network, an EvDO network, a 2G cellular network, a 2½G cellular network, a 3G cellular network, and a 4G cellular network. 
     
     
       8. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the apparatus comprises a phone with a digital audio/video player. 
     
     
       9. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the processor is further operative to choose the first wireless transceiver or the second wireless transceiver for connectivity based on business and performance goals. 
     
     
       10. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first wireless transceiver comprises a wireless chip, and wherein the second wireless transceiver comprises a WiFi transceiver. 
     
     
       11. A method for a user controlled device to acquire digital content, the method comprising:
 performing the following in a user controlled device:
 communicating with an external database via a telephone network to search the external database for digital content to download to the user controlled device, wherein the external database stores a listing of digital content available for downloading from an external memory; 
 communicating with the external memory via a wireless network to receive the digital content identified by the search from the external memory and playing the received digital content; 
 
 wherein the user controlled device comprises a first wireless transceiver operative to communicate with the telephone network and a second wireless transceiver operative to communicate with the wireless network. 
 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 11 , wherein the telephone network comprises a cellular network. 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 11 , wherein the telephone network comprises a POTS network. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 11 , wherein the digital content includes messaging data displayable on the user controlled device. 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 14 , further comprising displaying the messaging data in a pop-up screen. 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 14 , further comprising displaying the messaging data in a box. 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 14 , wherein the messaging data includes one of the following: billing messages, TOS messages, and messages related to content. 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 14 , wherein the messaging data includes at least one of the following: an audio message, a video, an image, text, text-to-speech message. 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 11  further comprising:
 using an interactive voice response system to search the external database for the digital content to download to the user controlled device. 
 
     
     
       20. The method of  claim 11 , wherein the first wireless transceiver comprises a wireless chip, and wherein the second wireless transceiver comprises a WiFi transceiver. 
     
     
       21. The method of  claim 11  further comprising storing the digital content in the user controlled device. 
     
     
       22. The method of  claim 11 , wherein the digital content is streamed to the user controlled device from the external memory.